How To Grow Cordyline Australis in the UK (Plant Care Tips)

[@PhillWyattProjects]

To Subscribe to the Channel click here: kzbin.info

[@gayleford8721]

This video has been really helpful having recently purchased 2 second hand 6 foot cordyline's. I already have quite a few which are doing well. Thank you!!

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Your welcome 👍

[@derekhumphreys765]

I love the cordolines, we have 5, but please remember that when the flowers die and the seeds grow and fall that they are toxic for dogs if they should eat them, we have had 2 bad experiences which meant an overnight stay in the vets which is pretty expensive, we cut the flowers as soon as they have died before the seeds form, and they are easier to cut then, good luck everyone.

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Hi Derek. I also cut the flowers after they are done flowering. I did not mention that the seeds are toxic because I was not aware of this. I don't have pets either so I'm not well informed on this kind of thing.

[@claireboyce207]

What do they look like when there seeding cus I have a dog and dont know what to look for ??

[@alisoncooper1864]

I was lucky enough to catch a neighbour putting to in their car to tack to the tip about 5 years ago. They are now about 8 ft tall and doing well .

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Brilliant! Free Plants!

[@alisoncooper1864]

@@PhillWyattProjects it is my mission to get free or cheap plants...

[@iaiavao]

Amazing they are pricy , small one is around £70.00 👍👍

[@CitizenBeep]

@@iaiavao ASDA sell them for under a tenner.

[@iaiavao]

@@CitizenBeep i know I bought mine for that price it was rip off 🥺

[@paullomax-u2u]

Never seen one flower ours has sprouted out the top which prompted me to look thanks for all the Information

[@PhillWyattProjects]

This one flowers every year now. Once they get to a certain height they should start to flower.

[@mikesmith2315]

Brilliant advice thankyou

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Your welcome 👍🏻

[@MarinaMandarinaWoolyWorld]

Beautiful Cordyline you've got. I love how you showes it in different seasons. Thank you for useful tips. Took me couple years to understand why this one street in my area smells so good in summer (every morning i walk my dog through it). Only this summer I noticed that every garden on this street has blooming Cordylines :))) Mines are still quite young, haven't bloomed yet and I don't expect them to flower next summer (or maybe one of them will do, would be nice :))

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Thank you 👍🏻 yea the flowers have a really strong smell which really attracts the Bees 🐝🐝🐝

[@thomasherrin6798]

It may take 8 years for it to flower!?!

[@jeffallinson8089]

Great work, thank you. I planted one last spring (2021) and it is looking good, I think they give the UK a touch of the Med, lol.

[@PhillWyattProjects]

No problem 👍 yea they do look tropical especially when they are in flower.

[@jeffallinson8089]

@@PhillWyattProjects How old before they flower please?

[@claireboyce207]

Thanks for video I have 1 in my garden which is now about 8/9 yr old reason for watch is mine has came into flowering which I never knew they did.... my centre peice had rotted and broke off which was sad but still doing well as I said it flowering now... I also noticed aswell I have a new stem shooting up from the bottom so cant wait see how that forms... ur video help me understand more of this beautiful plant/tree 😊😊😊

[@PhillWyattProjects]

I would suggest removing any shoots coming from the base as they will take nutrients from the main plant. When these plants flower the trunk divides. If it's flowering this is a good sign for the plant.

[@Myrtuscommunis]

Interesting plant! 😀

[@PhillWyattProjects]

I think so too!

[@CitizenBeep]

Some great tips here. Many thanks. What about feeding them?

[@PhillWyattProjects]

I don't feed mine I don't think they really need extra feed. I haven't bothered with that myself.

[@bp4682]

Top Tip for winter, to avoid frost and snow damage get yourself a Sand Ton sack.

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Yea good idea 👍🏻

[@markgillard9430]

Hi Phill. Interesting video. We are in Devon by the coast. I planted our cordyline in 1991 when we first moved in. It is now nearly 30ft tall and is doing well apart from the last couple of years where it has suffered with drooping leaves which are green but have yellow dotting on them. I am trying to feed now with seaweed to see if this helps with nutrient loss. It flowered great this year but hopefully the leaves will return to how they were. I have just cleared all the old leaves and flowers as well to help airate the plant. I have the base covered with pebbles but hopefully this is not hindering water uptake or compressing the soil too much. We shall have to wait and see if the seaweed feed does the trick.

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Thanks Mark👍 it sound like your doing everything rite. I wouldn't worry too much as this summer was late to get going, it should recover quickly putting out a lot of new leaves from now to September.

[@A.nasierkhan]

Can you make a video what soil to use?

[@moonrakermack]

Great video! We have one which is about 5 years old and about 12 foot tall. Its only on its second flowering. I have a question. It is starting to grow green upright shoots from very near the base of the trunk. What is happening here?

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Thanks! This can happen when the plant has been under stress from the weather such as the cold or damp. These are off shoots. I would recommend cutting them off to make sure all the nutrients goes to the main plant.

[@moonrakermack]

Thanks for the advice. We will get on it! We love our Australis, it reminds us of being in Lanzarote where our family live ❤️. I've checked and it's actually more like 8 years old. Time flies!

[@PhillWyattProjects]

@@moonrakermack Yea I like mine too its about 9 feet tall now and in flower. Snip off the suckers and keep the trunk dry. Remove any dead brown leaves to keep the crown aerated.

[@amandadavis8626]

Mine wrap do the leaves wrap around the seeds ? Have u seen this

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Not sure what you mean please explain.

[@michaelmeyhoefer9916]

What was the coldest temperature in the winter? Do you have Frost About weeks?

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Maybe minus 8 Celsius for the coldest although I can't remember exactly it's been In the ground maybe 6-7 years now

[@cully666]

I have 5 of these on my front garden, they've been established for about 5yrs. 2 of them are about 6ft tall and the other 3 are quite short 3ft, is there anything I can do to help the short ones gain height?

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Try putting some mulch around the base in spring. Don't water them too often they don't seem to like it.

[@mwc6397]

Are they easy to dig out?

[@gracek19ify]

Very interesting and informative video. I like your plant. I would like to get one for the spring as it is October. I live in Liverpool and see a lot of people have them with height reaching 1st floor. Is it okay to get one in pot and keep it inside the house till spring? I am looking for an answer who has tried doing this way and what outcome you had.

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Thanks! I would suggest waiting until late spring before buying one and planting it out. Early spring can be very unpredictable. I wouldn't recommend keeping one in a pot indoors through winter. It's possible although they don't seem to like it. Getting one in the ground at the rite time is the most important thing if you want good growth. April / May next year should be a good time.

[@mwc6397]

My two have never flowered, been in for years..about 10 feet tall

[@movingon.............6850]

Mine splits into three and now it has flowers again, but I haven’t check how many it t splits into.

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Yea that's rite the trunk will split every time it flowers.

[@nevpeachy6417]

Do you do anything with the stems of the flowers after they’re done flowering in the winter?

[@PhillWyattProjects]

I cut them off unless you want to let the seeds develop.

[@tracyfun6918]

Wait till early January and plant them in trays if you want to grow more in a greenhouse or cold conservatory

[@thebeezknees]

Can you stop the plants from growing once they reach a certain height? also i have 2 in pretty large containers, the plants are about 5 ft in height. Can i put these into the ground without any worry? could i cut the bottom off of the containers and then plant them in the rest of the pot in the ground?

[@PhillWyattProjects]

I don't know if there is a way to stop them growing without damaging the plant. If you want to put potted Cordylines in the ground I would suggest doing it after any chances of frost when the ground is warmer maybe do it in May. That way the plant will have time to settle in before winter. Yes I guess you could cut the bottoms off the pots although I think removing the pots would work better and allow the roots to spread out more.

[@1902NCFC]

I’ve got a large plant that now has five large trunks, following the original single one getting blown over. Can these trunks be cut off and re-planted somehow, as the plant is now so big in it’s current position in the garden?

[@PhillWyattProjects]

I think it is possible although quite difficult with this plant. The trunks tend to rot and shrink if you try to grow them from a cut trunk. It works well with yuccas but with these it's much easier to plant a new young plant which will grow much faster anyway.

[@1902NCFC]

@@PhillWyattProjects Ok thanks Phil.

[@jerrieblaylock5599]

I'm not able to get to roots. I'm trying to put it in my yard. I have 3 to transplant. How can I get them out of the small flower bed up against the house. I have dug 3 holes not sure how deep in In Dallas Tx. They have been there for15 years or more the have to no room to grow Need some advice. Thank you.

[@PhillWyattProjects]

In my experience these don't do well when transplanted they can be difficult to re-establish. All I can suggest is to get as much of a root ball as possible and hope for the best.

[@jaysysumakaRatMaster3]

Do you need to do anything with the flower part from year to year? Do you cut it or remove it if it looks dead?

[@PhillWyattProjects]

You can leave it or just cut it off at the base when it goes brown.

[@therefreshed5887]

Hi can I replant one of these. I planted it 3 years ago but it's competing for space between an olive tree and a palm. It was 2 feet tall when I planted it now it's 6 feet tall.

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Yea you can dig them up and replant them although they can take a while to recover. I probably wouldn't bother as they like to struggle similar to yukkas.

[@marct5211]

Most of the leaves of our cordylines have dropped off with the bad snow we had, they are fairly big established trees, do you think I should cut the head off so it can grow back from the stem or is this normal and it will recover on its own? Advice appreciated :)

[@PhillWyattProjects]

As long as the leaves in the centre crown are ok then it should recover during summer. It's worth waiting until spring arrives to assess the damage. Cutting the head off is a last resort as it will take a very long time to grow back from the stem.

[@marct5211]

@Phill Wyatt Projects thank you, a couple of my cordylines the leaves are totally brown, some all the leaves have dropped off, I'll keep my fingers crossed and wait it out as per your advice :) My concern was I will wait too long and miss out on growth but I agree, best to wait longer, thank you so much for your reply!

[@tracyfun6918]

Mine has twice regrown from the bottom of the plant in winter,leave it till spring hopefully it will regrow from the base

[@tracyfun6918]

Mine has twice regrown from the bottom of the plant in winter,leave it till spring hopefully it will regrow from the base

[@tracyfun6918]

Mine has twice regrown from the bottom of the plant in winter,leave it till spring hopefully it will regrow from the base

[@MrProbz420]

Quick question: i’ve bought a Cordyline Indivisa last year. Should I treat them the same as your Cordyline Australies? Or is there a big difference?

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Pretty much although I don't think Indivisa are as hardy as australis. So careful with the cold months. More protection may be needed.

[@MrProbz420]

@@PhillWyattProjects thank you very much for the swift reply! Much appreciated!

[@holdkarin341]

Thanks Phill. But tell me how to propagate from cutting? I think this is the 5th time,but no chance! What I'm doing wrong? I m not cutting well? For propagation i used honey that is good for helping rooting (i heard about it) Why Why What to dooo! Thanks!

[@PhillWyattProjects]

These are difficult to propagate from a cutting. I would recommend growing them from seed.

[@grantpalmer3020]

Interesting video. I’ve just bought two of these from the garden centre and planted them in large pots. They are only around 2 feet tall with around a 4 inch trunk. How quickly will they grow in a year you reckon? Also did you give them any plant food/fertiliser through their life? Many thanks

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Thanks! If you plant them in a large pot with good drainage or in the ground then they should take maybe a year to get settled. After that they should grow quite quickly providing they don't experience heavy snow or prolonged frost. I have seen them from from 1-2 feet per year when established. The only thing I use as a fertiliser is lead mulch initially. Then I just leave them alone.

[@ernestharrison4415]

Problem with flower on my Cordyline. Flower stalk very thick, cut flower of but could not get all of the stalks. New growth is coming but is having to squeeze past the stalk that is being a pain. Plant has grown well about 4 foot in 4 or 5 years. I fear that stalk could end up damaging my plant.

[@ernestharrison4415]

BTW I and plant are in UK,

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Yea I have had the same problem in previous years. All I can suggest is to cut the flower stalk down as low as you can. Eventually the stump of the stalk will die back and you can remove it. It shouldn't be a problem in the long term.

[@JimmyJames10-k7v]

Did u ever get a black bird in ur box

[@PhillWyattProjects]

Not yet although I put it up a bit late I think the local ones had already started their nest.

[@KylieFaN57]

Once the flower is over do you ever cut this off a few inches above where it comes out from the leaves? I have 3 flowers in a group of 5 smaller trees which grew back some 10 years after the original tree 'died'...

[@markgillard9430]

@@KylieFaN57 Yes. Always cut mine off once they have flowered and remove any dead leaf material as it helps with getting air through the plant and doesnt hold any moisture on the upper part of the tree as this can cause fungus and rot.

[@PhillWyattProjects]

@@KylieFaN57 Yes I do cut the old flowers off a few inches above where they come out from. Its amazing how they can come back from the dead after a harsh winter! I have one that completely died and then sprouted back up from the ground.

[@PhillWyattProjects]

@@KylieFaN57 Yes once the flower has died off I cut it at the base of the stalk unless I want to harvest the seeds then I leave the flower on for the seeds to develop.

[@ChildrensPositiveStories]

Not enough " how to" content. the video is more of a tour of existing... where to get, how to choose type, how to plant, what material to plant in, when to water, and how much, do they need feeding, when to repot, how to repot ..... none of it.......... please if possible do a how to ( I'm searching)

[@PhillWyattProjects]

What would you like to know specifically?

[@ChildrensPositiveStories]

We recently bought 7 for the garden, about 2ft tall, planted in best compost, with a couple of inches of stones in bottom of large tubs with drain holes. ( plenty of room to grow) The little plastic tab said water 2 times per week. 4 weeks on, one is nearly dead, and a couple of others are looking iffy! I watered every day for a week when first transplanted, now reduced to twice per week. The only thing I can guess, is it's either too much, or too little - I have no idea. Thanks

[@ChildrensPositiveStories]

As it's been hot, and they were recently replanted, I used a hose for about 70 seconds, I've now cut it back to 12 seconds twice per week